In Darkness
by KatStarr
Summary: “I feel that if try to go back I’m not going to be able to survive being invisible.” No one said that a life in hiding would be easy. Hermione Granger, of all people, should know that. After being in hiding for three months, Hermione gets a surprise visit
1. Thunder

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this dreadful fan fiction. If I did, do you seriously think that Sirius Black would be dead, or Hermione would end up with anyone BUT Snape? Didn't think so. Kudos to the wonderful J.K Rowling for letting us borrow her beloved characters!

-

In Darkness

Chapter One: Thunder

It was cold. Hermione Granger shivered and wrapped her arms tightly around herself, clutching onto the small blanket that was draped over her shoulder. Mentally she kicked herself for volunteering to stay behind and "watch" over number 12 Grimmauld Place that particular weekend. She figured that she could get some piece and quiet, as well as a lot of reading done. She sighed and pulled the blanket closer. All had been fine that day; she had sat in the study reading. Nothing out of the ordinary. Then the rain started, along with the thunder and the cold. Something was just wrong in the house. She couldn't exactly understand what was so wrong, but deep down in her gut there was definitely something out of the ordinary happening.

She sat down on the edge of her bed in the room that she shared with Ginny during the long summers they spent there. It was no longer summer, but rather late October, and Ginny was finishing her last year of Hogwarts, leaving Hermione to stay at the Grimmauld Place in supposed "hiding" along with Harry. During the summer the house would be full and crowded, with people always coming and going. Now though, she thought with distain, it was mostly empty, and she and Harry had to alternate between staying at Hogwarts, here or the Burrow. Someone always had to stay at number 12 in case of an emergency, and since Harry disagreed with the place since Sirius had died, that someone was more often than not Hermione Granger.

The room flashed with a bolt of lightning and she shuddered, trying not to let out a shriek that so desperately wanted to come from her mouth. Hiding her face in her hand she let out a ragged breath, trying desperately to calm herself down. "You're losing it My-knee." She told herself. A faint smile traced across her lips as she recalled the nickname Ron often used on her. Hermione hadn't seen the red head in a month, due to the fact that she was always at number 12. Unlike Harry, Hermione didn't go to the Burrow. Since being pushed into hiding, she had been able to survive it. She had survived three horribly long months, and was determined that she wouldn't loose sanity then. Seeing Ron, the only one who loved her deeply and whom she too had feelings for would only crack her resolve and determination. It was too painful.

The ex-Gryffindor shook her head. It was stupid really, being forced into hiding. She understood why Harry was in hiding- for that one was obvious. With Voldemort and so many Death Eaters on the loose, it was deadly. Many more had joined death's army because of the growing battle the ragged on. It was obvious that indeed a great war would soon break out, and sides needed to be chosen now instead of later. While Ron, although one of Harry's best friends was safe at his home at the Burrow because of the many family members that surrounded him, Hermione was most definitely not. In the eyes of the other side, she was a threat. A large threat due to the fact that she was immensely bright, and had achieved all O's on her NEWTS. Not to mention that she also achieved all of the highest scores in every subject in the history of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She was the smartest Witch the world had ever seen.

A single tear fell and she cursed herself silently. If she had known what life had been like now, she would have failed every test and every assignment given to her starting from square one. But there was no going back now; she was past the point of no return. It was too late now. As more tears began to fall from her glossy brown eyes, Hermione stood up quickly and made her way over to the full-length mirror that stood beside the armoire. She was average height, with brown hair that reached just past her shoulders. She had managed to tame it considerably, but it wasn't that noticeable to others. It was still curly and unruly, but it hung limp without much body. Fading dark marks were printed under her dull brown eyes from countless sleepless nights of being alone. The freckles and large smile that once dominated her face had long since faded- it had been a long time since she had been outside or had a chance to experience true joy.

July and August had been full of preparation, with people running up and down the stairs of the Grimmauld Place. Her, Harry, Ron and Ginny had spent much time hidden in the library, trying to avoid the constant talk of death and war from the adults. Each of them new that soon enough when September came the four would be split up. While Hermione, Harry and Ron had all been accepted into the Order upon graduating, and each had joined that first week of July. But then Snape had begun to tell them about the gruesome deaths of their friends that had been captured by the Death Eaters and death's army- a much broader group of people all fighting under Voldemort's name- the adults had let the three refrain from coming to the meetings if they wished. Most of the time, they just sat at the back of the library grieving the lost of their friends. Seamus. Parvati. Neville... All dead. All gone.

The tears clouded her eyes thickly and she could no longer see. She pressed her hands forcefully against the glass and tried to hold herself up, wishing that she could escape the life that had been so cruelly forced upon her. Now she understood what Harry had to go through his whole life, the constant dread and loss. The dread, the loss, the pain, and the hiding. It was something that no nineteen year old should have to deal with it. While Harry and Ron were only 18, Hermione was ungretably 19, due to her use of the Time Turner in her third year. It made no difference though. They were all still friends, all still sharing the same pain.

"What if I don't want the pain anymore! What if I don't want to live like this? Than what? Then what do I do" Hermione screamed at the top of her lungs, but her voice was drowned out by another boom of thunder that shook the house forcefully. "I don't want it! Take it back! Take it back! I don't want to live with it, so why make me? Take. It. Back..." Her screams turned into maddening sobs and she leaned against the mirror, pressing her forehead against it for support. A thought came across her mind as she wiped furiously at the tears that rolled unceremoniously down her cheeks. "I'm mad. I'm going crazy! Talking to myself." She said aloud, her voice thick with sobs.

After what seemed like hours, she pushed herself off of the glass and backed up to retrieve the blanket that had fallen long ago from her shoulders. The thunder outside had calmed down, but the rain still fell harshly against the tin roof. Blinking she wound the blanket protectively around her upper body tightly and left the small room to go find a drink to sooth her horse throat. Few tears still threatened in her eyes but she fought to keep them in. It didn't matter that no one was around. She wouldn't let them fall. As she reached the landing, that feeling of wrongness that she had felt earlier came back to her quickly. Hermione shivered and held the scrap of material closer. Placing one foot in front of the other, she made her way down the stairs, one step at a time. By the time she reached the bottom the feeling had gotten stronger. Something told her that she was not alone.

There was a certain noise that had seemed to come out of nowhere. She cocked her head to the side slightly and listened, trying to hear it above of the loud drumming of rain. It was unfamiliar, different from any other noise that she had heard while spending time at number 12 Grimmauld Place. It tinkered slightly, vanishing every now and then. For a moment it seemed to get louder and louder before vanishing once again from her ears. _I'm not alone._ She thought quietly. It was true. The sound was inhuman, but earthly. She strained her over-intelligent mind for a thought of what the sound might be. But she drew a blank and was at a loss.

Taking a step towards the soft sound she reached into the robes that hung loosely around her muggle jeans and t-shirt for her wand. Gripping the piece of wood tightly she let the blanket flutter to the ground soundlessly. Hermione closed her eyes briefly and tried to search for the earthly sound, trying to figure at least where it was coming from. 'The study.' Her mind called. She shuddered and drew nearer to the room, her feet making soft noises on the carpeted flooring. _What's wrong with me? I should be terrified. I don't know what's in that room. It could be dangerous and deadly... and yet..._ She stopped and listened as the sound grew louder and wilder, changing it's speed and what seemed like direction. It sounded angry, whatever it was. _I'm not afraid. There's something about that strange sound that beckons my soul. It calls to me in the dead of the night_. She snorted softly and quickened her pace. _So it's true. Hermione Granger has lost it at last. Say good-bye to all thoughts of sanity_.

Hermione reached out to grasp the brass doorknob. One turn and a push was all that separated from her and the strange sound. It was loud now, entering her mind and caressing places she didn't know where there. It hit her like a brick wall. "Music! The Piano" Her eyes grew wide and she mentally smacked herself for speaking aloud. _I'm so stupid! How could I have not thought of it before? Music! Alas, the sweet heavenly sounds that I haven't heard since the Yule Ball_. Still holding tight to her wand she pressed her body against the wooden door and sighed, her wandless hand on the brass knob. "Now or never Hermione dear." She whispered, letting the music wash over her. Grasping the knob hard, she gave it a quick turn and let the door open slowly.

The room was mostly dark, save for a few candles that sat on the upright piano to her right. She let her eyes glance around the room, taking in her surroundings quickly. It was just like she had left it earlier- a stack of books carried down from the library sitting on the desk, the red curtains pulled shut to block out the sun that she craved, a forbidden desire. Across the back of the chair was a warn traveling clock that had been folded neatly. A half full bottle of butterbeer sat near by on the edge of the cluttered desk. Her brown eyes wandered to the other side of the small room where the old upright piano sat. Hermione kicked herself mentally again. How stupid had she been to forget about the instrument. In front of the piano, sitting on the high-polished mahogany bench was a man that was all too familiar to the Hogwarts graduate.

Hermione put her fist to her mouth to suppress her grasp. There was no denying who he was as she regarded his tall dark figure in the flickering candlelight. It was Severus Snape himself, sitting before the piano, his long graceful fingers traveling over the ivory keys in a mad dance. Unwillingly she took a step towards him and studied his features. His mouth was drawn into a tight line, his dark eyes clouded with dull emotion. Hermione thought she would faint as she listened to the music that her pounded out from the piano. It was loud, and angry. At this distance it was clearly heard above the harsh rain. She let her eyes slide close as she leaned against the wall, letting the music carry her into a deep trance.

Not before long, she found herself humming quietly with the intense music that surrounded her. It got quieter and drifted off like a boat on the water, and then finally all came crashing down, ending in a grand finale. With a few sharp notes it ended. Hermione opened her eyes, swaying on the spot as she did so. She sighed and bit her lip rather harshly, wondering what she should say. Thankfully though, the Potions Master began another tune. This one was softer and simpler than the last.

"Miss. Granger if you're going to just stand there and gawk I suggest you leave now." Hermione visibly jumped and her trance was broken immediately. She opened and closed her mouth a few times before shutting it with a snap. _How did he know_' She asked herself, but instantly shook her head, clearing her mind of such said thoughts. Taking a few more steps forwards, she stared at his hands gliding almost magically across the keys.

"I... I... You! That..." She bit her lip harder than before and sighed.

"Miss. Granger, seize your babbling at once please. It is giving me a dreadful headache. Possibly keeping you here by yourself was a bad idea after all. It appears that the silence has damaged your mental health." He said calmly. Hermione shuddered.

"Sorry Professor Snape, you just startled me. I wasn't expecting you here, that's all." He said nothing. They both sat in near silence, the hushed music coming from under his fingers making the only noise. Hermione swallowed a few times. Did she dare ask?

"Sir, I never knew you played the piano." Snape grunted and continued playing. "That song you were playing before... it was..." She inhaled deeply and closed her eyes, letting the music numb her senses. She was starting to feel dizzy as she stood there closely behind him, listening to the music grow more entrancing and angry with every second that ticked by.

"It's called _Revolutionary_. It's by Frederick Chopin. Of course you never knew, what was I supposed to do, announce it one morning to the Great Hall? Play a piece at the Seventh Year graduation? Foolish girl." Hermione blushed deep crimson at his words. She backed up a few paces, putting her wand back into her pocket. She dropped all her weight into the chair that sat behind the desk and cradled her head in her arms. The music was driving her mad. It crescendo and fell before growing dim once again.

"Are you ill Miss. Granger?" Snape's voice was softer than it had been a few moments ago. Hermione half expected him to stand up, but his fingers kept playing doing their crazy duet. She shook her head, then realized that he couldn't see her.

"No sir, I'm alright. It's just… It's so quiet around here." She gave a dramatic sigh and buried her head deeper into her arms. A few moments paced between them before he started up a new song.

"Why don't you stay at Hogwarts for a week or so? Dumbledore said you haven't been back since the second week of September. It's now October 27th if you haven't noticed." She blinked into the darkness of her arms. October 27th? How did she loose such track of time?

"I can't go back there Professor. For one, Harry doesn't like it here, and I don't blame him. This was Sirius' house after all. And Hogwarts… it's too painful. I feel that if try to go back I'm not going to be able to survive being invisible." Her voice trailed off and she looked up at his hunched over form at the piano. _Stupid, stupid, stupid! What am I doing? Confiding my pain to Snape? He's going to leave me… alone…_ She cursed herself for being so immature. He sighed and shook his head, abandoning his current melody.

"Miss. Granger, I believe sleep would do you well at this time." Blowing the candles, he tossed the heavy curtains aside to let in the shadowy moonlight. Picking up the bottle of butterbeer he downed it in a large gulp and set it back down with a loud _clunk_. Snape grabbed his cloak and pulled it over the shoulders of his billowing robes. He walked past her silently, stopping only at the door. "Good night Miss. Granger." Hermione looked up from her arms, her brown eyes meeting her own dark ones. She shivered and backed out of his gaze, nodding as she did so. It wasn't until she heard the front door close that she realized that he was gone.

Hermione closed her eyes again and sighed deeply. The rain that had seemed to die down while she was talking to him had picked up again, and the thunder had returned. A single tear fell as she folded her arms tightly and rested her chin on top, studying the upright mahogany piano. A million questions filled her head, each one different from the last. _Why was he here? Since when did he play the piano… And that music… _She let out a small moan and bit her lip. She remembered the song he played when she walked in on him. It was so passionate and deep with emotion.

It wasn't until the rain had stopped that her thoughts had abandoned her, the melody of _Revolutionary_ lulling her to sleep.


	2. Just a Dream

Disclaimer: If I owned this, do you really think I'd be writing A FAN FICTION FOR IT!blinksDidn't think so!

A/N: Hehe, this chapter is "dedicated" to Tipix, a.ka Carey. Without her slave driving personality, I probably would have never overcome my writer's block and finished this chapter so soon!

In Darkness

Chapter Two: Just a Dream

The sun was beating in through the open window, and some where just outside the morning chorus of birds had begun their high-pitched song. With a groan, Hermione pushed out from the desk, her eyes darting around the empty room. She yawned a few times, trying to figure out exactly why she had fallen asleep in the study. As her brown eyes caught the piano sitting on the opposite wall she couldn't help but smile for the first time in what had seemed like months. Remembering the events of the night that had just passed, she stood, grabbing the empty butterbeer bottle that sat on the corner of the large desk. It was cold to touch and she cringed at the unwanted feeling that spread across her fingers and palm.

Sighing, Hermione left the study, determined to keep her thoughts away from Snape. "It's just too weird." She murmured aloud to herself. Turning down the short corridor to her left, she walked brusquely to the end to the large swinging door that led into the kitchen. Taking a deep breath she pressed on the door with her free hand and let it swing open. Usually there was a loud squeak as it swung on its hinges, followed by and ear-splitting band when it hit the opposing wall. Instead of the sounds she had prepared herself for, Hermione jumped and nearly dropped the bottle she was holding when there was a sickening thud and the door shut quickly. Her eyes wide, she leaned forwards to open the door slowly. When she finally got it opened enough to peer inside, she was greeted by a menacing growl and the not-so-happy face of her former Potion's Master.

"Professor Snape! Oh… Oh my… Oh sir I'm so sorry!" Grimacing, Hermione gazed at the older, am as he rubbed his nose, which was clearly swelling at a fast pace. "Professor your nose…" Biting down on her lip she rushed passed him into the kitchen to get some ice.

"Miss. Granger what are you doing? First you nearly break my nose, and now you're running around like a madwoman! Stop that at once! You're making my head hurt more than it already is!" With another groan he sank into a chair and pressed a hand to his forehead.

"I'm looking for ice sir! But there doesn't appear to be any!" She had dropped to her knees and was frantically rummaging through the ice box- which, despise it's name- did not hold any ice.

"Hermione Granger, are you not a witch?" He cried in frustration. Hermione froze and closed her eyes. Ron's voice rang through her head, saying the same words Snape had just said, only seven years ago. She smiled softly as the memory of going down to look for the Philosopher's stone, determined to save it from the same man who was in the room with her at that moment. Shaking her head clear of all thoughts of Ron she stood up and closed the icebox with a snap.

"S-sorry Sir." Placing a hand over her mouth she stifled a yawn. _Apparently last night's sleep was not good enough._ She thought testily. Reaching into her robe pocket she extracted her wand and with a slight smile she cast a quick charm, a pile of ice landing on the floor at her feet instead of her hand. Sneaking a peek at Snape, Hermione could see that he had raised an eyebrow, his nose still swelling greatly. She reached forwards and grabbed the towel off of the counter before dropping to her knees once more to pick up the ice chunks. _Wait- why can't Snape do this for himself? Better yet, why isn't he just casting Reparo and fixing his nose?_ Hermione blinked hard and grasped the counter to pull her self up, the cold of the ice numbing her hand painfully.

"Professor, are you alright?" She asked quietly, walking towards him with unsure steps. He scowled and snatched the towel out of her hand rather harshly. Pressing it to his nose he gestured for her to sit. She hesitated for a few seconds before dropping unceremoniously into the chair across from him. Feeling slightly out of place, she began to play with her hands in her lap, her mind puzzled with a million different questions at a time. Snape groaned and opened his eyes, glaring at her.

"Quit that Granger." Three words. Three sharp words. Hermione's head shot up instantly and she stared at him with blank eyes. Swallowing slowly, she chose her words carefully and let them slide from her tongue.

"Professor Snape, I don't mean to be persistent or annoying-" He snorted. "But I was just wondering… umm… Are you all right? I mean, you… that is to say…" She closed her eyes, feeling a loss for all words even remotely intelligent.

"No I am not alright, when have I ever been 'all right'. I am alive, if that's what you mean." He icily retorted. She shuddered and sighed folding her arms on the table.

"That's not what I mean Sir. I meant, why can't you cast magic?" She instantly regretted her words, for he stiffened noticeably and closed his eyes, placing the towel on the table gently.

"That, I believe is none of your business Miss. Granger." Hermione rolled her eyes and shook her head in disbelief.

"No I suppose not Snape, but seeing as there is nothing else better to do around here, involving myself in your business is a much better way to pass the time." _Stupid, stupid, stupid. Hermione, what are you doing?_ Her mine shrieked frantically. She had long since passed the line of right and wrong- this was just pure out of bounds. And considering the look Snape gave her of pure malice, she was long since dead.

"Miss. Granger hold you insolent tongue this instant! Don't speak of things you do not know. Silly Gryffindor." She sighed and looked at her lap with great interest. Suddenly she felt very ashamed at herself. _Why should I be ashamed? What have I done wrong?_

"Sorry Sir…" She whispered. The chair scraped as he stood up and out of the corner of her eye she watched as he placed the towel in the sink. The silence was painful to her ears.

"For your punishment you will go up to the library and copy out the whole of _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. _Last time I checked, there was a copy there. I will be back tonight to see that you have completed it." Hermione opened her mouth in shock, and stared up at him with hate.

"That's unfair! No, I will not do it! The only thing I'm sorry for is being concerned! Plus, you can no longer punish me! I am no longer your student, _Professor_." He growled and stared down at her from his place at the sink, arms folded across his chest.

"Miss. Granger, since when have I ever been a fair man?" He replied silkily. Hermione drew her hands back under the table and clenched her fists tightly. His mouth was drawn in a sardonic sneer, his dark eyes crackling with hatred. That's when she noticed something else glinting in his eyes. Gone was the usual pain, replaced with something else... She squinted slightly, studying him. _Passion._ She cringed as it hit her, pushing back from the table.

"Never. You've never been a very fair man. I've long since realized that." She hissed. Without another word she ran from the room, escaping the dark presence in the kitchen. She didn't stop until she had reached her shared bedroom on the topmost floor, closing the door and locking it behind her. Her mind racing, she crossed the room to sit on her bed, placing her head in her hands. _Well I suppose things could have been odder. First Snape comes in last night, plays the piano, than claims that I am insane. I suppose I could be, but that doesn't exactly matter at the moment. Then this morning he gets hurt, but he doesn't use magic to make things better? And in his eyes… There was passion, for something… But what…_ She stopped her thoughts suddenly, eyes dancing around the room to look for something that would help seize her thinking. Picking up a book that had been discarded to the floor beside her bed long ago, she lay on her stomach, immersing herself in the world of wands, sparks, and incantations.

_"Hermione… Hermione…" A voice called. It was silk to her ears, caressing her body in the smallest of ways. She had long since abandoned her book, and had stood to look out the window into the Muggle Street below. She watched as a few children no older then ten and eleven played. How she longed to leave the magic world behind, how she longed for her childhood that she had forgotten when she entered Hogwarts. The voice captured her attention and she spun from the window, eyes wide. There was no one there though, and she wrapped her arms around her thin body, trying to shed the cold that had sunk into her bones._

_"Hello?" She called out, only to receive silence back. She shivered and walked towards the closed door, stopping when something moved out of the corner of her eye._

_"Hermione…" Came the whispered voice again. She whirled around, coming face to face with a girl who looked to be younger than twenty or so. She felt her breath quicken before she realized that the girl was, in fact, only her reflection. Stepping closer to the glass she let out a sob that was mixed with both dread and relief. It was just yesterday since she had seen her reflection, but this time she studied it carefully._

_"I'm dying. Both inside and out…" She murmured to the silence of the room. Closing her eyes she leaned against the glass._

_There was a blood curdling scream and Hermione herself jumped back. She placed her hands to her ears, trying to block out the sound. But it wouldn't leave. She opened her eyes quickly, trying to find the source. She opened her own mouth to scream, as she no longer saw herself staring back, but a monster. It opened its mouth, and Hermione fell back onto the ground, clawing at her ears, trying to stop the sound._

_"HERMIONE!"_

She awoke with a sudden start, nearly falling off the bed, her head sore. She could only gasp for breath as her body shuddered over and over, her vision spinning dizzily. Trying desperately to calm herself down, she pulled her arms around herself and slowed her breathing down.

"Just a dream… it was just a dream…" She exclaimed, her voice no higher then a whisper. _But it was so real!_ Her mind protested. "It was just a dream." She replied again, arguing with her inner self. Sliding off the bed, she squinted in the darkness. The sun had set a while ago the moon shining threw the open window. _I must have slept the day away. _She thought with a sigh. Crossing the room, she averted her eyes from wandering to the mirror, opening the door to the hall. That's when she noticed the music.

"Snape…" She hissed. Shaking all thoughts from her head, Hermione made the decent down the dark stairs, making her way to the study once more. The tune, like the last she first heard, was fast and quick, the notes brief. She smiled at the familiarity of it as she reached the last step and paused. "Dare I go in?" Nodding to herself she continued down the hall, fallowing the music that beckoned her.

_I'm crazy. I'm insane… I'm…_ Her mind retorted. She bit back a giggle and opened the door that led into the study. From just outside the doorway, she could tell that the curtains were drawn, and few candles were lit beside the piano. Behind it was the pianist himself. Hermione smiled slightly and she crept to stand beside him as he played. She began to hum along as his fingers coaxed a quick beat out of the instrument.

"Mozart?" She questioned. He nodded slightly.

"Turkish March." Hermione moved so she could see his fingers better as he played. He pressed harder on the keys, almost pounding them as the song spun faster and faster, getting louder with every note. On a rather harsh note it almost silenced for a feat beats before continuing.

"If you don't mind me asking sir, when did you learn to play?" Hermione stole herself for a harsh reply, but it never came. Instead, the man sighed.

"When I was eight or nine, my mother insisted that I learn to play." He replied. Hermione bit her lip slightly and turned her gaze from his hands to his face. His eyes were heavily hooded; his lips were set in a firm line. A few strands of hair had fallen in his face and she suppressed the urge to brush them back behind his ear, cursing herself for having such urges. _Watch it Hermione…_

"Umm… I'm sorry for my childish behaviour earlier. It was really unacceptable." Snape raised his shoulders in an elegant shrug before nodding. Hermione felt she should say something more, but before she could form any words, he had completed the piece he was playing and had turned to face her, one hand resting on the keys, the other on his knee.

"Is there something bothering you Miss. Granger?" He asked, his voice like silk. She shuddered, remembering her earlier dream. Taking a step back, she shook her head violently.

"No, no sir… Nothing's bothering me. Why do you ask?" She bit her again, trying to seem as though she had nothing to fear in the world. He narrowed his eyes and she instantly cast her own to the ground, trying to hide from the blackening depths and questioning gaze.

"You screamed earlier." Hermione swallowed, her throat thick. It was getting harder to breathe by the minute. She could feel his intense gaze, hunting her down, demanding her to look at him. But she hid from him the best she could, staring at the grown, avoiding his eyes.

"No I didn't…" Hermione commented. _Well at least that's the truth. I don't remember screaming at all._ Suddenly in one swift movement he was upon her, his hand grasping her chin forcing her to look at him. She cringed as his dark eyes bore into her own, and for a moment she felt as though he could read her soul. Remembering from her 5th year that he was a highly skilled Occlumens and Legilimens, she tried to break eye contact with him, but found that she could not.

"You had a dream… Would you care to explain?" Hermione sighed, her eyes pleading with him to let him go. His own eyes stared at her, studying her face, full of mixed emotions that she couldn't keep track of. _Funny how much one's eyes can tell._ She thought.

"Professor, please, not now… please?" Blinking once, he let go of her chin, but instead grabbed her arm. Hermione didn't try to pull away, but instead found herself melting from his touch. His hand was cold, long fingers wrapping around her bony wrist. His grip was firm but not painful.

"Miss. Granger, if you were having nightmares why didn't you tell anyone?" His voice was silky still, and she found it almost comforting.

"This was the first one. It wasn't really a nightmare… just… odd." Snape nodded.

"Dreams can often prove to be puzzling." He sighed deeply and dropped his hand, moving back to the piano once more. Hermione felt her knees go weak slightly in defeat, and she slid into the armchair beside the old upright. He flexed his fingers once and began a slow, almost mournful melody. This one too was familiar.

"That's Moonlight Sonate… Beethoven's Mondschein…" she murmured, yawning as sleep began to descend upon her. He nodded, continuing to play. Loosing herself in the music, she felt comforted almost as it wrapped around her, enveloping her in it's repetitive ways, lulling her into a dreamless sleep.

Snape sighed, standing up from the piano. He let his wary eyes take in her form, one hand propped up on the armrest, her hand resting upon it. Her other hand lie in her lap. She looked at least five years older then she really was, dark circles painted under her eyes, her body deathly thin. If this was what she was like only after three months in hiding, then what would happen to her in a year or so? Shaking his head, he reached out to pick up his cloak that he had chosen to wear. It was thicker than his traveling cloak, a deep green in colour. Placing it around the girl's small form he stood back.

"Oh Hermione…" He whispered. Blowing out all but one candle on top of the mahogany piano, he opened the curtains once more, and left the room, making to shut the door behind him.

Alright, If anyone hasn't guessed, the song Snape's playing this last bit here isPiano Sonate op.27-2'Mondschein' 1st mov.by Beethoven.


End file.
